And what doth he now call His country? As it seems to
me, Nazareth. “For He did not many mighty works
there,”18831883Matt. xiii.
58.it is said, but in Capernaum He did miracles: wherefore He said also,
“And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto Heaven, shalt be
brought down to hell; for if the mighty works, which have been done in
thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this
day.”18841884Matt. xi.
23.

But having come there, while He slackens somewhat in His
miracles; so as not to inflame them unto more envy, nor to condemn them
more grievously, by the aggravation of their unbelief: He yet puts
forth a doctrine, having no less of wonder in it than the miracles. For
these utterly senseless men, when they ought to have marvelled, and to
have been amazed at the power of His words, they on the contrary hold
Him cheap, because of him who seemed to be His father; yet we know they
had many examples of these things in the former times, and from fathers
of no note had seen illustrious children. For so David was the son of a
certain mean husbandman, Jesse; and Amos, the child of a goatherd, and
himself a goatherd;18851885Amos. vii.
14, 15.and Moses too, the lawgiver, had a father very inferior to himself.
When they therefore, for this especially, ought to adore and be amazed,
that being of such parents He spake such things, it being quite
manifest, that so it was not of man’s care, but of God’s
grace: yet they, what things they should admire Him for, for those they
despise Him.

He is moreover continually frequenting the synagogues,
lest if He were always abiding in the wilderness, they should the more
accuse Him as making a schism, and fighting against their polity. Being
amazed therefore, and in perplexity, they said, “Whence hath this
man this wisdom, and these powers?”18861886Matt. xiii.
54. [R.V., margin,
“Greek, powers.”]either calling the miracles powers, or even the wisdom itself.
“Is not this the carpenter’s son?”18871887Matt. xiii.
55. The greater then the marvel, and the more abundant the ground of amaze.
“Is not His mother called Mary, and His brethren James, and
Joses,18881888 [R.V., “Joseph,” following a reading
better supported than that of the recorded text, which agrees with that
in the Homily.—R.]and Simon, and Judas? and His sisters, are they not all with us? Whence
hath this man these things? And they were offended in Him.”18891889Matt. xiii.
55, 56.

Seest thou that Nazareth was where He was discoursing?
“Are not his brethren,” it is said, “such a one, and
such a one?” And
290
what of
this? Why, by this especially you ought to have been led on to faith.
But envy you see is a poor base thing, and often falls foul of itself.
For what things were strange and marvellous, and enough to have gained
them over, these offended them.

What then saith Christ unto them? “A
prophet,” saith He, “is not without honor, save in his own
country, and in his own house: and He did not,” it is said,
“many mighty works, because of their unbelief.”18901890Matt. xiii.
57, 58. [Chrysostom omits
“there.”] But Luke saith, “And He did not there many miracles.”18911891Mark vi.
5. [σημεα,
“signs;” but even in Mark this expression does not occur in
this connection.—R.] And yet it was to be expected He should have done them. For if the
feeling of wonder towards Him was gaining ground (for indeed even there
He was marvelled at), wherefore did He not do them? Because He looked
not to the display of Himself, but to their profit. Therefore when this
succeeded not, He overlooked what concerned Himself, in order not to
aggravate their punishment.

And yet see after how long a time He came to them, and
after how great a display of miracles: but not even so did they endure
it, but were inflamed again with envy.

Wherefore then did He yet do a few miracles? That they
might not say, “Physician, heal thyself.”18921892Luke iv.
23. That they might not say, “He is a foe and an enemy to us, and
overlooks His own;” that they might not say, “If miracles
had been wrought, we also should have believed.” Therefore He
both wrought them, and stayed: the one, that He might fulfill His own
part; the other, that He might not condemn them the more.

And consider thou the power of His words, herein at
least, that possessed as they were by envy, they did yet admire. And as
with regard to His works, they do not find fault with what is done, but
feign causes which have no existence, slaying, “In Beelzebub He
casteth out the devils;” even so here too, they find no fault
with the teaching, but take refuge in the meanness of His race.

But mark thou, I pray thee, the Master’s
gentleness, how He reviles them not, but with great mildness saith,
“A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country.”
And neither here did He stop, but added, “And in his own
house.” To me it appears, that with covert reference to His very
own brethren, He made this addition.

But in Luke He puts examples also of this, saying, that
neither did Elias come unto His own, but to the stranger widow; neither
by Eliseus was any other leper healed, but the stranger Naaman;18931893Luke iv.
25–27.and Israelites neither received benefit, nor conferred benefit, but the
foreigners. And these things He saith, signifying in every instance
their evil disposition, and that in His case nothing new is taking
place.

2. “At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the
fame of Jesus.”18941894Matt. xiv.
1. [R.V., “the report
concerning Jesus.”] For Herod the king, this man’s father, he that slew the children,
was dead.

But not without a purpose doth the evangelist signify
the time, but to make thee observe also the haughtiness of the tyrant,
and his thoughtlessness, in that not at the beginning did he inform
himself about Christ, but after a very long time.18951895“Perspicuum est prædictionem
Christi reges mundi audire novissimos.” St. Jerome, in
Jonam. c. iii. For such are they that are in places of power, and are encompassed with
much pomp, they learn these things late, because they do not make much
account of them.

But mark thou, I pray thee, how great a thing virtue is,
that he was afraid of him even when dead, and out of his fear he speaks
wisely even concerning a resurrection.

“For he said,” it is mentioned, “unto
his servants, This is John, whom I slew, he is risen from the dead, and
therefore the mighty powers do work in him.”18961896Matt. xiii.
2. Seest thou the intensity of his fear? for neither then did he dare to
publish it abroad, but he still speaks but to his own servants.

But yet even this opinion savored of the soldier, and
was absurd. For many besides had risen from the dead, and no one had
wrought anything of the kind. And his words seem to me to be the
language both of vanity, and of fear. For such is the nature of
unreasonable souls, they admit often a mixture of opposite
passions.

But Luke affirms that the multitudes said, “This
is Elias, or Jeremias, or one of the old prophets,”18971897Luke ix. 8. Comp. Matt. xvi. 14.but he, as uttering forsooth something wiser than the rest, made this
assertion.

But it is probable that before this, in answer to them
that said He was John (for many had said this too), he had denied it,
and said, “I slew him,” priding himself and glorying in it.
For this both Mark and Luke report that he said, “John I
beheaded.”18981898Mark vi.
16; Luke ix. 9. But when the rumor prevailed, then he too saith the same as the
people.

Then the evangelist relates to us also the history. And
what might his reason be for
291
not
introducing it as a subject by itself?18991899προηγουμνω
. Because all their labor entirely was to tell what related to Christ,
and they made themselves no secondary work besides this, except it were
again to contribute to the same end. Therefore neither now would they
have mentioned the history were it not on Christ’s account, and
because Herod said, “John is risen again.”

But Mark saith, that Herod exceedingly honored the man,
and this, when reproved.19001900Mark vi.
20. So great a thing is virtue.

Then his narrative proceeds thus: “For Herod had
laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison, for
Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. For John said
unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have
put him to death, he feared the people, because they counted him as a
prophet.”19011901Matt. xiii.
3–5.

And wherefore doth he not address his discourse at all
to her, but to the man? Because it depended more on him.

But see how inoffensive he makes his accusation, as
relating a history rather than bringing a charge.

4. “But when Herod’s birth-day was
kept,”19021902 [R.V., “come;” rec. text as in
Homily.]saith he, “the daughter of Herodias danced before them,19031903 [R.V., “in the midst;” so Homily, see
below.—R.]and pleased Herod.”19041904Matt. xiii.
6. O diabolical revel! O satanic spectacle! O lawless dancing! and more
lawless reward for the dancing. For a murder more impious than all
murders was perpetrated, and he that was worthy to be crowned and
publicly honored, was slain in the midst, and the trophy of the devils
was set on the table.

And the means too of the victory were worthy of the
deeds done. For,

“The daughter of Herodias,” it is said,
“danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he swore19051905 [“Swore” is substituted for
“promised;” peculiar to Chrysostom, but probably borrowed
from Mark vi. 23.—R.]with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she being before
instructed of19061906 [R.V., “being put forward by.”]her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a
charger.”19071907Matt. xiii.
6–8.

Her reproach is twofold; first, that she danced, then
that she pleased him, and so pleased him, as to obtain even murder for
her reward.

Seest thou how savage he was? how senseless? how
foolish? in putting himself under the obligation of an oath, while to
her he gives full power over her request. But when he saw the evil
actually ensuing, “he was sorry,”19081908Matt. xiii.
9. [R.V., “was
grieved.”]it is said; and yet in the first instance he had put him in bonds.
Wherefore then is he sorry? Such is the nature of virtue, even amongst
the wicked admiration and praises are its due. But alas for her
madness! When she too ought to admire, yea, to bow down to him, for
trying to redress her wrong, she on the contrary even helps to arrange
the plot, and lays a snare, and asks a diabolical favor.

But he was afraid “for the oath’s
sake,” it is said, “and them that sat at meat with
him.” And how didst thou not fear that which is more grievous?
Surely if thou wast afraid to have witnesses of thy perjury, much more
oughtest thou to fear having so many witnesses of a murder so
lawless.

But as I think many are ignorant of the grievance
itself, whence the murder had its origin, I must declare this too, that
ye may learn the wisdom of the lawgiver. What then was the ancient law,
which Herod indeed trampled on, but John vindicated? The wife of him
that died childless was to be given to his brother.19091909Deut. xxv.
5. For since death was an incurable ill, and all was contrived for
life’s sake; He makes a law that the living brother should marry
her, and should call the child that is born by the name of the dead, so
that his house should not utterly perish. For if the dead were not so
much as to leave children, which is the greatest mitigation of death,
the sorrow would be without remedy. Therefore you see, the lawgiver
devised this refreshment for those who were by nature deprived of
children, and commanded the issue to be reckoned as belonging to the
other.

But when there was a child, this marriage was no longer
permitted. “And wherefore?” one may say, “for if it
was lawful for another, much more for the brother.” By no means.
For He will have men’s consanguinity extended, and the sources
multiplied of our interest in each other.

Why then, in the case also of death without offspring,
did not another marry her? Because it would not so be accounted the
child of the departed; but now his brother begetting it, the fiction
became probable. And besides, any other man had no constraining call to
build up the house of the dead, but this had incurred the claim by
relationship.

Forasmuch then as Herod had married his brother’s
wife, when she had a child, therefore John blames him, and blames him
with moderation, showing together with his boldness, his consideration
also.

But mark thou, I pray thee, how the whole theatre was
devilish. For first, it was made up of drunkenness and luxury, whence
nothing healthful could come. Secondly, the spectators in it were
depraved, and he that gave the banquet the worst transgressor of all.
Thirdly, there was the irrational pleasure. Fourthly, the damsel,
because of whom the marriage was illegal, who ought even to have hid
herself, as though her mother were dishonored by her, comes making a
show, and throwing into the shade all harlots, virgin as she was.

And the time again contributes no little to the reproof
of this enormity. For when he ought to be thanking God, that on that
day He had brought him to light, then he ventures upon those lawless
acts. When one in chains ought to have been freed by him, then he adds
slaughter to bonds.

Hearken, ye virgins, or rather ye wives also, as many as
consent to such unseemliness at other person’s weddings, leaping,
and bounding, and disgracing our common nature. Hearken, ye men too, as
many as follow after those banquets, full of expense and drunkenness,
and fear ye the gulf of the evil one. For indeed so mightily did he
seize upon that wretched person just then, that he sware even to give
the half of his kingdom: this being Mark’s statement, “He
sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee,
unto the half of my kingdom.”19101910Mark vi.
23.

Such was the value he set upon his royal power; so was
he once for all made captive by his passion, as to give up his
kingdom for a dance.19111911 [δι
ρχησιν ατ
παραχωρσαιἀλλογενο, which
seems to be opposed to αθιγενο, “of
genuine origin.”vilifying, reviling, insulting. But not so the saints; they on the
contrary mourn for such as sin, rather than curse them.

8. This then let us also do, and let us weep for
Herodias, and for them that imitate her. For many such revels now also
take place, and though John be not slain, yet the members of Christ
are, and in a far more grievous way. For it is not a head in a charger
that the dancers of our time ask, but the souls of them that sit at the
feast. For in making them slaves, and leading them to unlawful loves,
and besetting them with harlots, they do not take off the head, but
slay the soul, making them adulterers, and effeminate, and
whoremongers.

For thou wilt not surely tell me, that when full of
wine, and drunken, and looking at a woman who is dancing and uttering
base words, thou dost not feel anything towards her, neither art
hurried on to profligacy, overcome by thy lust. Nay, that awful thing
befalls thee, that thou “makest the members of Christ members of
an harlot.”191219121 Cor. vi.
15.

For though the daughter of Herodias be not present, yet
the devil, who then danced in her person, in theirs also holds his
choirs now, and departs with the souls of those guests taken
captive.

But if ye are able to keep clear of drunkenness, yet are
ye partakers of another most grievous sin; such revels being also full
of much rapine. For look not, I pray thee, on the meats that are set
before them, nor on the cakes; but consider whence they are gathered,
and thou wilt see that it is of vexation, and covetousness, and
violence, and rapine.

“Nay, ours are not from such sources,” one
may say. God forbid they should be: for neither do I desire it.
Nevertheless, although they be clear of these, not even so are our
costly feasts freed from blame. Hear, at all events, how even apart
from these things the prophet finds fault with them, thus speaking,
“Woe to them that drink wine racked off, and anoint themselves
with the chief ointments.”19131913Amos vi.
6, LXX. [τν
διυλισμνον
ονον.] Seest thou how He censures luxury too? For it is not covetousness which
He here lays to their charge, but prodigality only.

And thou eatest to excess, Christ not even for need;
thou various cakes, He not so much as dry bread; thou drinkest Thasian
wine, but on Him thou hast not bestowed so much as a cup of cold water
in His thirst. Thou art on a soft and embroidered bed, but He is
perishing with the cold.

Wherefore, though the banquets be clear from
covetousness, yet even so are they accursed, because, while for thy
part thou doest all in excess, to Him thou givest not even His need;
and that, living in luxury upon things that belong to Him. Why, if thou
wert guardian to a child, and having taken possession of his goods,
were to neglect him in extremities, thou wouldest have ten thousand
accusers, and wouldest suffer the punishment appointed by the laws; and
now having taken possession of the goods of Christ, and thus consuming
them for no purpose, dost thou not think thou wilt have to give
account?

9. And these things I say not of those who introduce
harlots to their tables (for to them I have nothing to say, even as
neither have I to the dogs), nor of those who cheat some, and pamper
others (for neither with them have I anything to do, even as I have not
with the swine and with the wolves); but of those who enjoy indeed
their own property, but do not impart thereof to others; of those who
spend their patrimony at random. For neither are these clear from
reprehension. For how, tell me, wilt thou escape reprov
293
ing and blame, while thy parasite is pampered,
and the dog that stands by thee, but Christ’s worth appears to
thee even not equal to theirs? when the one receives so much for
laughter’s sake, but the other for the Kingdom of Heaven not so
much as the smallest fraction thereof. And while the parasite, on
saying something witty, goes away filled; this Man, who hath taught us,
what if we had not learnt we should have been no better than the
dogs,—is He counted unworthy of even the same treatment with such
an one?

Dost thou shudder at being told it? Shudder then at the
realities. Cast out the parasites, and make Christ to sit down to meat
with thee. If He partake of thy salt, and of thy table, He will be mild
in judging thee: He knows how to respect a man’s table.19141914 That is, to respect the obligation incurred by
having been a person’s guest. Yea, if robbers know this, much more the Lord. Think, for instance, of
that harlot, how at a table He justified her, and upbraids Simon,
saying, “Thou gavest me no kiss.”19151915Luke vii.
54. I say, if He feed thee, not doing these things, much more will He
reward thee, doing them. Look not at the poor man, that he comes to
thee filthy and squalid, but consider that Christ by him is setting
foot in thine house, and cease from thy fierceness, and thy relentless
words, with which thou art even aspersing such as come to thee, calling
them impostors, idle, and other names more grievous than these.

And think, when thou art talking so, of the parasites;
what kind of works do they accomplish? in what respect do they profit
thine house? Do they really make thy dinner pleasant to thee? pleasant,
by their being beaten and saying foul words? Nay, what can be more
unpleasing than this, when thou smitest him that is made after
God’s likeness, and from thine insolence to him gatherest
enjoyment for thyself, making thine house a theatre, and filling thy
banquet with stage-players, thou who art well born and free imitating
the actors with their heads shaven?19161916 Comp. Homily XXXVII. 8. Of such parasites Juvenal
says, (Sat. v. 170.) Omnia ferre Si potes, et debes. Pulsandum vertice raso Præbebis quandoque caput, nec dura timebis Flagra pati, his epulis et tali dignus amico. See Mr. Field’s note. For among them too is laughter, and rude blows.

These things then dost thou call pleasure, I pray thee,
which are deserving of many tears, of much mourning and lamentation?
And when it were fit to urge them to a good life, to give timely
advice, dost thou lead them on to perjuries, and disorderly language,
and call the thing a delight? and that which procures hell, dost thou
account a subject of pleasure? Yea, and when they are at a loss for
witty sayings, they pay the whole reckoning with oaths and false
swearing. Are these things then worthy of laughter, and not of
lamentations and tears? Nay, who would say so, that hath
understanding?

And this I say, not forbidding them to be fed, but not
for such a purpose. Nay, let their maintenance have the motive of
kindness, not of cruelty; let it be compassion, not insolence. Because
he is a poor man, feed him; because Christ is fed, feed him; not for
introducing satanical sayings, and disgracing his own life. Look not at
him outwardly laughing, but examine his conscience, and then thou wilt
see him uttering ten thousand imprecations against himself, and
groaning, and wailing. And if he do not show it, this also is due to
thee.

10. Let the companions of thy meals then be men that are
poor and free, not perjured persons, nor stage-players. And if thou
must needs ask of them a requital for their food, enjoin them, should
they see anything done that is amiss, to rebuke, to admonish, to help
thee in thy care over thine household, in the government of thy
servants. Hast thou children? Let these be joint fathers to them, let
them divide thy charge with thee, let them yield thee such profits as
God loveth. Engage them in a spiritual traffic. And if thou see one
needing protection, bid them succor, command them to minister. By these
do thou track the strangers out, by these clothe the naked, by these
send to the prison, put an end to the distresses of others.

Let them give thee, for their food, this requital, which
profits both thee and them, and carries with it no condemnation.

Hereby friendship also is more closely riveted. For now,
though they seem to be loved, yet for all that they are ashamed, as
living without object in thy house; but if they accomplish these
purposes, both they will be more pleasantly situated, and thou wilt
have more satisfaction in maintaining them, as not spending thy money
without fruit; and they again will dwell with thee in boldness and due
freedom, and thy house, instead of a theatre, will become to thee a
church, and the devil will be put to flight, and Christ will enter, and
the choir of the angels. For where Christ is, there are the angels too,
and where Christ and the angels are, there is Heaven, there is a light
more cheerful than this of the sun.

And if thou wouldest reap yet another consolation
through their means, command them,
294
when thou art at leisure, to take their books
and read the divine law. They will have more pleasure in so ministering
to you, than in the other way. For these things add respect both to
thee and to them, but those bring disgrace upon all together; upon thee
as an insolent person and a drunkard, upon them as wretched and
gluttonous. For if thou feed in order to insult them, it is worse than
if thou hadst put them to death; but if for their good and profit, it
is more useful again than if thou hadst brought them back from their
way to execution. And now indeed thou dost disgrace them more than thy
servants, and thy servants enjoy more liberty of speech, and freedom of
conscience, than they do; but then thou wilt make them equal to the
angels.

Set free therefore both them and thine own self, and
take away the name of parasite, and call them companions of thy
meals;19171917συσστου.cast away the appellation of flatterers, and bestow on them that of
friends. With this intent indeed did God make our friendships, not for
evil to the beloved and loving, but for their good and profit.

But these friendships are more grievous than any enmity.
For by our enemies, if we will, we are even profited; but by these we
must needs be harmed, no question of it. Keep not then friends to teach
thee harm; keep not friends who are enamored rather of thy table than
of thy friendship. For all such persons, if thou retrench thy good
living, retrench their friendship too; but they that associate with
thee for virtue’s sake, remain continually, enduring every
change.

And besides, the race of the parasites doth often take
revenge upon thee, and bring upon thee an ill fame. Hence at least I
know many respectable persons to have got bad characters, and some have
been evil reported of for sorceries, some for adulteries and corrupting
of youths. For whereas they have no work to do, but spend their own
life unprofitably; their ministry is suspected by the multitude as
being the same with that of corrupt youths.

Therefore, delivering ourselves both from evil report,
and above all from the hell that is to come, and doing the things that
are well-pleasing to God, let us put an end to this devilish custom,
that “both eating and drinking we may do all things to the glory
of God,”191819181 Cor. x.
31.and enjoy the glory that cometh from Him; unto which may we all attain,
by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be
glory and might, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.